Book edge printing apparatus



N. A. HURWITZ 2,556,474

june 12, 1951? BOOK EDGE PRINTING APPARATUS 4 SheetsSheet 1 Filed June 28, 1946 INVENTOR ATTORNEY June 12, 1951 wrr 2,556,474

BOOK EDGE PRINTING APPARATUS Filed June 28, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTOR Y J1me 1951 N. A. HURWITZ BOOK EDGE PRINTING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 28, 1946 N. A. HURWITZ 2,556,474

BOOK EDGE PRINTING APPARATUS Filed June 28, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 June 12, 1951 INVENTOR 770% d. fiara/il J 6 ATTORNEY Patented June 12, 1951 BOOK EDGE PRINTING APPARATUS Nathan A. Hurwitz, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Book Production Industries, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application June 28, 1946, Serial No. 680,160

12 Claims.

This invention relates to a specialized method of printing, particularly designed for applying pictorial or other decorative matter to the edges of a book which are composed of the edges of a multiplicity of leaves.

One object of the invention is to provide means for imprinting on the edge of a book a design or picture composed of multiple colors.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for simultaneously imprinting a design upon two or more edges of a book.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a mechanism adapted for applying an ornamental design or picture to the three edges of a book in a single operation, and adapted to apply two or more colors by such single operation.

More specifically, the invention provides a flexible printing member and a carriage for moving the edges of a book into contact with said member, and then pressing the member firmly against three edges of the book simultaneously to complete the printing operation.

Other features and objects of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of an apparatus or machine embodying this invention, showing the parts in the positions which they assume before the printing operation is commenced.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view similar to Fig. 1, but

showing the parts in the positions assumed thereby in the printing operation.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the machine, showing the parts thereof in the positions illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the upper portion of the machine with'the parts in the positions illustrated in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken as indicated at line 55 on Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a book prior to the application of the cover or binding, but after having the edges imprinted with a design in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a flexible printing member adapted to serve as an element of a machine embodying this invention.

Fig. 8 is a detail plan section taken as indicated at line 8-8 on Fig. 4, but on a larger scale.

Fig. 9 is a vertical detail sectional view taken substantially as indicated at line 98 on Fig. 8.

In my pending application, Serial No. 555,140, filed September 21, 1944 (now abandoned), relating to Decorated Books and Methods of Producing the Same, there are disclosed certain methods for applying a pictorial design or other ornamentation to the three edges of a book, which are cornposed of the edges of the several leaves as compactly assembled when the book is closed. The present invention is concerned with an apparatus or mechanism for practicing the method of applying such a design by means of a transfer or hektograph process, since that method admits of the simultaneous application of inks of several different colors. v

As shown in the drawings, the machine includes, and is supported upon, a Work table [0 having a frame H and provided with a track or guideway consisting of parallel rails l2, l2 on which there is mounted for reciprocation a support or carriage M. This carriage includes a shelf or platform It, and a clamping plate 18 between which the assembled pages of the book, without their covers, are secured, as seen at A in Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 5, the book is supported at the desired height by interposing the supporting block l5 between the platform It of the carriage and the book itself. The back of the book, which comprises the folded edges of the several groups orfolios of leaves, over which the back of the binding or cover will be eventually secured, is placed against upstanding gauge members 20, 20 which are secured by brackets 22, 22 to the surface of the work table l0. One edge 24 of the book, which may be considered the bottom edge, is disposed against a vertical gauge plate 26 having a stem 28, which is adjustably mounted in brackets 30 and 32 upstanding from the table II]. This leaves the top or upper edge 34 ofthe book,

.. and the intermediate or front edge 36 exposed in said socketincludes a bracket portion 50 which is attached to the platform or bottom plate It of the carriage. A hand lever 52 is fulcrumed at 54 on the bracket 44 and is connected by a link 56 with the arm which carries the clamping member I8. When the lever is swung from its position shown in dotted outline in Fig. 5 to its upright full-line position shown therein, the link 56 acts as a portion of a toggle to press the clamping member l8 firmly against the upper surface of the book resting on the block l5, and the book is thus firmly clamped in position on the carriage. I

The printing member consists of a flexible 3 strip of sheet material, such as tough paper or fibre, having one surface coated with gelatin adapted to receive a design transferred thereon in hektograph ink or inks, in accordance with the well understood methods of the hektograph process. In other words, the desired design or picture is printed on a sheet of paper, and this master impression is applied in face to face contact against the gelatin layer of the flexible printing member. After a short interval, sufficient to permit absorption of some of the ink from the master into the surface of the gelatin, the master is removed, leaving a printing member, such as that shown at 60 in Fig. '7, with the desired design or picture carried in the gelatin surface 52 thereof but in reverse as compared with the original. For use in the present machine the ends of the strip 69 are permanently attached to the hook-shaped clips 84, and these clips are hooked around pivots 65, 66 carried respectively at the ends of swinging arms 68, 68 extending from vertical rock shafts I0, IIJ. Journal bearings I2 are provided for said rock shafts 1?) below the table It, and the shafts, together with their arms $3, are disposed above the level of the table so that, as shown in Fig. 1, the flexible printing member 55 is supported by the-arms 58, 68 above the table is and in a vertical plane which extends across the rails I2, I2 of the track on which the carriage I4 is guided for reciprocation. For supporting the flexible member 60 with an initial tension the rock shafts III, III are provided with bevel gears I4 at their lower ends which mesh with bevel gears 16 on a horizontal shaft I8, whereby rotation of the shaft I8 tends to swing the arms 68, 68 either toward each other or apart, depending upon the direction in which the shaft 78 is turned. A sprocket wheel 80 is fixed to said shaft I8, and a chain 82 wrapped partly around the sprocket 80 extends over a guide sprocket 84 to a treadle 86 fulcrumed at 88 on a cross member 90 of the frame II which supports the table If). Pressure on the treadle 86 rotates the shaft IS in a direction to force the arms 68 apart, thus providing a suitable initial tension for the printing operation; but, in addition. a spring 92 is anchored at 94 to a portion of the frame fl, and is connected to a pin 96 on the sprocket 8t so that said spring 92 also operates to swing the arms 68 apart and to yieldingly oppose their movement toward each other.

For this purpose of a printing operation, when the book A has been clamped onto the carriage I6, as described, the carriage is moved bodily along the rails I2, I2, and pressure is exerted upon the treadle 85 so that the front edge 36 of the book will be brought flatly into contact with the gelatin face 52 of the member fill. Then, as the carriage is advanced further, the flexible printing member 60 is carried along with it, and the arms 68 are forced to yield inwardly about the axes of shafts I0, It. At the end of the track formed by the rails I2, I2 a yielding platen HID of sponge rubber or like material is supported in a vertical plane by a suitable bracket I02 mounted on the table It so that at the limit of its travel the book A is arrested with a portion of the flexible printing member 50 interposed between its edge 36 and the platen I00.

To reach this final position, the book A must pass between pressure rollers I94, I64 mounted on vertical spindles I86, Idfi at opposite sides of the guide track, and these rollers are preferably faced with yielding material, such as sponge rubber, and are spaced apart by slightly less than the dimension of the book which is to pass between them, so that the flexible printing member 60 is forced into intimate contact with the bottom edge 24 and top edge 34 of the book. As a convenient means of mounting the rollers I04 in a manner which permits them to be adjusted to fit books of different sizes, each .roller is carried in a bracket I08 extending from a guard plate IID which is positioned in a vertical plane at one side of the track or guideway, and which has rigid with it'a stem II2 slidably mounted in the supporting guides H4 and H6 which are secured to the table II). Stop collars II8 are adjustably secured on the stems by set screws 3I2 in position to abut the supports 4 to positively limit the spacing between the rollers I04, I04, and springs I I5 react between the collars I I8 and the brackets II6 to urge the brackets I08 and their rollers I04 toward each other. These springs may be quite stifi if the surfaces of the rollers I84 are formed of relatively yielding sponge rubber. If less yielding surfaces are employed it will be desirable to use softer cushion springs between the collars I I6 and the brackets H4 to provide for the desired yielding pressure which applies the lateral portions of the printing member 50 to the edges 24 and 34 of the book.

After the carriage has been advanced so as to bring the book to the position shown in Fig. i? it is allowed to stand in this position for a few seconds to permit a satisfactory transfer of the design from the printing member 69 onto the surfaces 24, 34 and 36 of the book. It is found that the pressure of the book, and the tern-- porary pressure of the rolls I84 as the book passes between them, will cause the gelatin surface of the member 60 to adhere flatly to the edges of the book during this delay period, thus insuring that a clear imprint will be transferred. Thereafter, the carriage I4 is withdrawn along the guide rails I2, I2 to its initial position, and the handle 52 is then rocked back to release the clamping member I8, permitting the book A to be removed from the supporting block I5. Ordinarily, several impressions can be taken from the gelatin surface of the same printing member 68 so that after each book has been thus imprinted it is removed from the carriage and replaced by another and similar book, and the o .eration is repeated.

To adapt the carriage I4 to books of different thicknesses block I5 may be replaced by a block or blocks of different height, or such blocks may be omitted entirely, and the clamping position of the plate I8 may be varied by adjusting the post 3'5 vertically in its socket 48 and securing it by means of the clamping screw 43. As already indicated. the lateral guide or stop 26 may be ad in its bearings 30 and 32, and for preparthe device to operate upon a considerable i r of books of the same size the clamping plate it may be replaced by another plate, which closely approximates the dimensions of the of the book to be treated, being preferably slightly smaller so as to insure proper contact of the edges of the book with the printing member 9' without interference by the clamping member It. For the same reason the supporting block !5 of the carriage should be slightly smaller than the page size of the book. As will be clear from Fig. 9, the platform it travels below the lower edge of the printing member 69, and would not come in contact with it.

'ing the flexible printing member 6! In the particular structure shown in the drawhugs the stem portions H2 for the brackets i i are disposed along axes at some distance from the axes of the rollers M which are carried by the brackets I08; accordingly, the lower ends 0 the spindles H36 are arranged to be guided in slots Hl'i formed in the plates I98 which are se cured to the table H3. If desired, additional guidance may be provided by cutting key slots 2 I 2 in the stems I I2, as shown, and fitting keys or pins II! in the brackets H6 to prevent rotation of the stems therein.

The drawings also show a stop E20 upstandin? from the table ID to engage one of the swingin" arms 68 at the limit of its movement for tension Since the arms are geared together by connection with r rock shaft 8, a single stop suffices to limit their movement in this direction. As indicated, the arms do not normally engage stop I20, but, pref erably, before the carriage I4 is moved towar the platen Hi0, pressure is applied to the tread 86, as already described, to force the arms 62 apart to their limit and to initially tension th member 60 for the printing operation.

It will be noted that the geared connection between the arms 68, 68 which forces them to move equally and oppositely, serves to insure that the initial contact between the printing member 60 and the edge 36 of the book will maintained throughout the advance of the book toward the platen without any tendency of th printing member '68 to slip thereon so as to cause a blur in the imprint. The interconnection of the arms 68, which act as yielding take-up members for the flexible printing element 60, is ther fore important in maintaining correct registration of the element with the book or other mem-- ber to which it is to transfer an imprint.

While there is shown and described herein cer- L tain structure embodying my invention and illustrative thereof, it will be understood that the invention is not limited thereto or thereby, bu embraces all modifications, variations and equivalents which may come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for printing upon the edges of a book comprising a carriage, means for clamping a book thereon, a track on which said carriage is mounted for reciprocation, a platen disposed transversely of the path of said carriage along th track, a pair of rock shafts journaled at opposite sides of said track, means connecting said shafts for simultaneous and equal rotation in opposite directions, arms extending radially from said shafts, respectively, a flexible printing member extending across the track with its ends connected to said arms, respectively, yielding means urging said rock shafts to swing said arms apart for tensioning the printing member in the path of a book on the carriage when said carriage is moved toward the platen, said yielding means permitting the printing member to be carried to'the platen by the travel of the book and pressed into printing contact with one edge of said book, and lateral pressure means between which the book is moved in said travel with portions of said printing member interposed between said pressure means and the two laterally exposed edges of the book and in printing engagement with said edges.

2. In the apparatus defined in claim 1, said means connecting the rock shafts comprising a third shaft geared to them, and said yielding 6 means comprising a spring arranged to create a torque in said shaft.

3. An apparatus for printing upon the edges of a book comprising a carriage, means for clamping a book thereon, a track on which said carriage is mounted for reciprocation, aplaten disposed transversely of the path of said carriage along the track, a flexible printing member, yielding take-up means between which said member is held in tension across the path of a book on the carriage when said carriage is advanced toward the platen, means controlling said take-up means to insure equal and simultaneous movement of the opposite ends of the printing member as one edge of the book engages it and carries the intermediate portion of said member toward the platen, and lateral pressure means between which the book is moved, said pressure means serving to press portions of said flexible printing member against the two laterally exposed edges of the book as its third edge is advanced toward the platen.

4. An apparatus for printing upon the edges 01" a book comprising a carriage, a track on which the carriage is mounted for reciprocation, a platen disposed transversely of the path of said carriage along the track, a flexible printing member held yieldingly in tension across the track in the path of a book on the carriage when said carriage is moved toward the platen, and lateral pressure means between which the book is moved, said pressure means serving to press portions of said flexible printing member against the two laterally exposed edges of the book as its third edge is advanced toward the platen, said lateral pressure means comprising rollers disposed respectively at opposite sides of the path of the book in its travel toward said platen, brackets by which said rollers are carried, supports on which said brackets are movable toward and from each other, and resilient means urging said brackets and their rollers toward each other for pressing the printing member against the lateral edges of the book.

5. An apparatus for printing upon the edges of a book comprising a carriage, a track on which the carriage is mounted for reciprocation, a platen disposed transversely of the path of said carriage along the track, a flexible printing member held yieldingly in tension across the track in the path of a book on the carriage when said carriage is moved toward the platen, and lateral pressure means between which the book is moved, said pressure means serving to press portions of said flexible printing member against the two laterally exposed edges of the book as its third edge is advanced toward the platen, said lateral pressure means comprising rollers disposed respectively at opposite sides of the path of the book in its travel toward said platen, brackets by which said rollers are carried, supports on which said brackets are movable toward and from each other, and resilient means urging said brackets and their rollers toward each other for pressing the printing member against the lateral edges of the book, together with stop means which limits the movement of said rollers toward each other in response to said resilient means.

6. An apparatus for printing upon the edges of a book comprising a carriage, a track on which the carriage is mounted for reciprocation, a platen disposed transversely of the path of said carriage along the track, a flexible printing member held yieldingly in tension across the track in the path of a book on the carriage when said '7 carriage is moved toward the platen, and lateral pressure means between which the book is moved,

said pressure means serving to press portions of said flexible printing member against the two laterally exposed edges of the book as its third edge is advanced toward the platen, said lateral pressure means comprising rollers disposed respectively at opposite sides of the path of the book in its travel toward said platen, brackets by the printing member against the lateral edges of the book, together with stop means adjustable in the direction of movement of said brackets to limit their movement toward each other.

7. An apparatus for printing upon the edges of a book comprising a carriage, a track on which the carriage is mounted for reciprocationpa platen disposed transversely of the path of said carriage along the track, a flexible printing member held 'yieldingly in tension across the track in the path of a book on the carriage when said carriage is moved toward the platen, and lateral pressure means between which the book is moved, said pressure means serving to press portions of said flexible printing member against the two laterally exposed edges of the book as its third edge is advanced toward the platen, said lateral pressure means comprising rollers disposed respective- 13 at opposite sides of the path of the book in its travel toward said platen, brackets by which 'said rollers are carried, supports on which said brackets are slidable toward and from each other, and springs reacting between said brackets and their supports urging the rollers toward each other.

8. Means for printing on the edges of unbound books comprising a laterally movable carriage, means on the carriage for clamping the book pages in a group in fixed position thereon, a flexible printing strip in the path of the carriage in alignment with the book edges, yielding means for exerting a tension on the printing strip, means in the path of the carriage adapted as the carriage is moved forward toward and against the strip to compress the forward book edge against the printing strip and separate means for compressing the printing strip against two other book edges.

9. Means for printing on the edges of unbound books comprising a carriage mounted for lateral movement, means for clamping the book pages in fixed assembled position on the carriage, a flexible printing strip in the path of the book as the carriage moves laterally, yielding means for exerting a tension on the printing strip, said means being free to pay out the strip under tension as it is withdrawn by book movement, means at the limit of the excursion of the book for compressing the printing strip .against the leading side of the book page assembly and means adjacent the top and bottom of the book for pressing the printing strip against the top and bottom of the book as it moves toward the end of its excursion.

10. Means for printing on the edges of unbound books comprising a carriage mounted for lateral movement, means associated with the carriage for registering the unbound book pages, means on the carriage for clamping the pages in fixed assembled position, a flexible printing strip in the iii) path of the carriage, yielding means for maintaining tension on said strip, a flexible platen in the path of the carriage adapted to compress the flexible strip against one edge of the book,

-means adjacent the path of the carriage and spaced forwardly of the platen a distance substantially equal to the width of the book for compressing the printed strip against the opposed edges of the book as it moves toward the platen.

11. An apparatus for printing upon the edges of a book, a carriage, a track along which it is movable, means for clamping the assembled pages of a book upon the carriage with the top, bottom and front of the book assembly in planes perpendicular to the plane of movement of the carriage, a flexible printing strip in the path of movement of the book, means .for exerting a tension on the printing strip, guide means adjacent opposed sides of the book as it travels with the carriage along the track, yielding means for pressing said guide means and the printing strip against the top and bottom of the book, a platen in the path of the book adapted to limit its movement, the guide means being so positioned that when the book engages the platen, the guide means will press the flexible printing strip against the top and bottom of the book adjacent the book back.

12. An apparatus for printing upon the edges of a book comprising a carriage, a track on which the carriage is mounted 'for'reciprocation, a platen disposed transversely of the path of said carriage along the track, a flexible printing member held ieldingly in tension across the track in the path of a book on the carriage when said carriage is moved toward the platen, and lateral pressure means between which the book is moved, said pressure means serving to press portions of said flexible printing member against the two laterally exposed edges of the book as its third edge is advanced toward the platen, said lateral pressure means comprising rollers disposed respectively at opposite sides of the path of the book in its travel toward said platen, brackets by which said rollers are carried, supports on which said brackets are movable toward and from each other, and resilient means urging said brackets and their rollers toward each other for pressing the printing member against the lateral edges of the book, the platen being adapted to press the printing member against the front edge of the book as the book completes its forward travel along the track.

NATHAN A. HURWITZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,326,843 Brewer Dec. 30, 1919 1,499,796 Wilkinson July 1, 1924 1,611,679 Rees Dec. 21, 1926 2,027,637 Eaton Jan. 14, 1936 2,042,476 Meyer June 2, 1936 2,077,790 Hakogi Apr. 20, 1937 2,097,832 Brenner Nov. 2, 1937 2,344,609 Hanson Mar. 21, 1944 2,484,845 Nordquist Oct. 18,, 1949 2,488,551 Nordquist Nov. 22, 1949 

